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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to game calls and more particularly to a game call that includes a two part body that is fastened together with correspondingly configured, specially positioned interlocking threads provided respectively on first and second parts of the game call body. An O-ring is positioned to function as a stop for limiting engagement of the threads so that the sound board and reed of the apparatus are always in the proper and same position, (such as after disassembly for cleaning) enabling consistent, repeatable sound generation. The O-ring and thread arrangement also ensures that all of the air generated by a user will be used to produce sound, with little or no leakage of air at a call body connection.
2. General Background of the Invention
Game calls have been used for many, many years by hunters. One of the most popular game calls is a duck call. Duck calls have been sold that are constructed of two parts that are fastened together with a taper lock fit. Game calls typically have a sound board and reed arrangement. A particular call is preliminarily tuned with an as built position of the reed relative to the sound board in order to achieve a desired sound. These types of game calls include not only duck calls, but goose calls, predator calls, crow calls and many others. If the relative positions of the reed, sound board and/or call body parts change, the sound that is produced by the call can change so that the call is ineffective, a very undesirable situation for a hunter.
Taper lock connections between call body parts can cause many problems. If the call is dropped or strikes the side of a boat or blind, the two connected body parts can loosen or shift slightly, varying the sound produced by the call. In cold or rainy or other inclement weather, the call body parts may shift relative to one another. Over time, wear causes the taper lock connection to change relative body part positions, resulting in a change of sound generated by a game call.
Several patents have issued that are directed to game call construction. The following table lists some examples. Some of these calls employ two part constructions that have threaded connections. Some have o-rings as part of their assembly.
The Meucci patent No. 2,604,731 provides a duck call that has some parts that are connected together using a threaded connection. A spring is employed as part of a mechanism to tune the duck call.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,825,180 issued to H. E. Dieckmann discloses a bird call that is comprised of two sections that are threadably engaged as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 of the ""180 patent. A reed is sandwiched between a pair of longitudinally extending tongues that are held by an outer housing. The device includes five basic parts that include the two tongue members, the reed, and the outer housing that is provided in two sections that are threadably engaged.
The Weems Pat. No. 2,936,547 provides an animal call that has an outer body that includes at least two sections that are threadably engaged. One of the sections holds a sound producing mechanism that includes a suitable reed and a packing ring 40.
The Beadles Pat. No. 3,928,935 discloses a game calling device formed of two parts, one a hollow barrel configured member having a mouthpiece at one end, and an air chamber passing therethrough for mating in friction engagement with a keg-contoured member terminating in a truncated portion formed by at least two surfaces, a pair of cylindrically shaped passages extending through the keg portion and each cylindrical passage receiving a set of vibrating reed elements therein. The mating surfaces are retained in friction engagement by means of an O-ring that fits within an annular groove, and the truncated portion is adapted to fit and facilitate being received in an operator""s hand so that alternatively the operator""s fingers, may completely or partially close off one or the other of the cylindrically shaped openings that extend from the truncated portion.
The Mann Pat. No. 4,737,130 discloses a short mouthpiece for a goose call that is provided with a bushing which telescopically mounts in the mouthpiece bore. A relatively long belled tube mounts to the bushing in order to produce a sound-projecting megaphone effect for the instrument. Further, the reed is truncated in comparison with the reed of a conventional reed assembly, to an extend such that the free end of the reed is substantially coincident with the end edge of the sound trough. Percussive sound, as a result of blowing on the mouthpiece to cause the reed to vibrate, consequently is produced primarily by repetitive flapping of the reed against the side margins of the mouth of the sound trough, a crisper herr-onk break is more easily achieved, and the tendency of moisture or ice to cause the free end portion of the reed to non-vibratingly adhere to the mouth surface of the sound trough is reduced.
In the Knight Pat. No. 4,888,903, there is provided a reed-type game call which can be operated by blowing and sucking on a single end of the call. This permits a caller to make one type of sound when blowing out through the call, and a different or same sound when sucking in, thus allowing for rapid sound successions. This permits the caller to sound like a whole flock of geese, or ducks with the rapid varied sounds; it also permits a hyperventilating deer sound.
The Repko, Jr. Pat. No. 4,950,198 provides a game call that includes a substantially cylindrical body, vibratable diaphragm, split ring for fastening the diaphragm to the body, and tubular bell attachable to the body for amplifying and enhancing the sound produced by the diaphragm. The body includes an inlet end surface having a substantially conical recessed portion, an outlet end surface having two planar surface portions angled with respect to one another, and an air passage extending between the inlet and outlet end surfaces. The air passage has a flared outlet opening at the outlet end surface. The diaphragm is fastened in slightly stretched fashion to the outlet end surface such that it at least substantially covers the flared outlet opening. The diaphragm has a seam in proximate relationship to a periphery portion of the flared outlet portion, along which air from the air passage is permitted to escape.
The Primos Pat. No. 5,735,725 discloses a modular game call system including generally a mouthpiece assembly, a tubular portion, and a resonance producing end. The mouthpiece assembly can be completely removed from the call to enable the tubular section and resonance producing end piece to be used separately with any other type or call. The mouthpiece assembly includes a detachable snap-on diaphragm that insures accurate, consistent tension of the membrane to allow high quality tones to be produced. Alternatively, a sheet of membrane material can be attached to the end of the mouthpiece assembly to create high quality tones. The resonance producing end piece allows the call to produce a resonant sound highly similar to a bugling bull elk.
The present invention provides an improved game call that is produced a very repeatable call sound, even after being disassembled for cleaning. The present invention provides an improved game call that is produced a very repeatable call sound, even after being dropped or banged against a boat, blind, tree or other object.
The present invention features a two part body that includes first and second tubular members that each have a hollow open ended part. The two part body provides an elongated open-ended bore when the two hollow tubular members are assembled together. The assembled body has opposed air delivery and air discharge end portions.
An opening on the first tubular member defines the air delivery opening located at the air delivery end portion of the body.
An opening on the second tubular member is an air discharge opening located at the air discharge end portion of the body.
An internally threaded socket on the first tubular member is provided opposite the air delivery opening end portion of the body. An annular shoulder is provided next to the internally threaded socket at an extreme end of the first tubular member. The threads of the socket are thus in between the annular shoulder and the air delivery opening.
The second hollow tubular member has a sound board. A reed is attached to the body and positioned next to the sound board.
An externally threaded section of the second tubular member is provided on a part of the second tubular member that fits inside the hollow part of the first tubular member. This externally threaded portion of the second tubular member is located in between the sound board and the air discharge end of the call body.
An O-ring is provided on the second tubular member that defines a stop for limiting the travel of the first tubular member when it is threadably engaged with the second tubular member. The O-ring rests against the annular shoulder that is on the first tubular member when the first and second tubular members are connected together by engaging their respective threads.
The O-ring is positioned on the body in between the air delivery opening and the threaded connection to form a seal. This seal prevents debris rain water or other external moisture from reaching the threaded portions of the connected tubular members.